Images Trivulzio Cage Cup. Whitish glass with an engraved netting and writing. IV century A.D., found in 1680 at Castellazzo Novarese, Novara

The term ‘diatreton’ derived from the Greek ‘diatrepho’ and refers to the particular technique of glass manufacturing through openwork. This antique technique consisted in the glass blowing of a vase of notable thickness, followed by the careful cutting of the exterior with a drill. That is why the vessel appears to be enclosed in an openwork cage. The technique was mastered by few glass manufacturers in the antiquity and some aspects of the manufacturing process remained a secret until our days.